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I use Proton Mail and Calendar for my main email (and their VPN). Proton is like a slow version of Google, but I like having a cloud-based non-Google option (I

by _akhe 2y ago

I use Proton Mail and Calendar for my main email (and their VPN). Proton is like a slow version of Google, but I like having a cloud-based non-Google option (I use Gmail for other accounts). My only complaint about Proton is it takes forever to start. Proton Mail shows a splash screen for seconds every single time. Over time it starts to feel unbearably slow. And recently, someone on their product team had the genius idea to put an app switcher as the new default screen, so now it's 1 click plus the splash screen just to get into your inbox. Takes too long to get to email basically, but on the plus side it prevents me from checking it too often. My gmail emails that I use with app passwords etc. all had their prices raised recently to $7.20/month. For a long time I was paying $5. So it should still be cheaper to use Google over Proton for 1 domain, but if you have more than 1 maybe it's worth switching. I haven't tried Proton as a developer yet (app passwords, using their APIs, etc.) just as a user. Overall it's a very similar experience to Google.

protonmail 2y ago
That doesn't sound right, have you reported the issue you're describing above to our support team at: https://proton.me/support/troubleshooting?product=mail https://proton.me/support/troubleshooting?product=mail?
- _akhe 2y ago
  Yes a while ago, and Proton support sounded exactly like your comment "Hm that's strange" - do you use your own product? If you navigate to the inbox - https://mail.proton.me/u/1/inbox https://mail.proton.me/u/1/inbox - there's a splash screen with the Proton logo in the center and the text "Loading Proton Mail..." for several seconds on every single page load. Try it out! Let me know.
  - protonmail 2y ago
    This may depend on the browser too - have you tried different ones, and if yes, have you noticed any differences in the duration of this splash screen?
    - _akhe 2y ago
      The splash screen shows for seconds on every page load in both Firefox and Chrome, and yes with/without extensions, and yes I tried unplugging it and plugging it back in :P It's been hilarious trying convey this to you guys. You designed it that way, it's not a user issue at all. If it helps sometimes it will say "Loading Proton Account..." for a couple seconds then "Loading Proton Mail..." for a couple more seconds. I would say this is one reason not to use Proton - they treat you like this when you open a support ticket too, like it's impossible there's anything wrong and it's always user error. They're always confused as if nobody has ever reported it and you never arrive at a solution, you just get sick of talking with them after a while because they don't know their own product.
      - protonmail 2y ago
        We apologize, we didn't intend it to sound that way. When logging into our web app, it's expected to experience a short delay because, unlike with Gmail, the web browser also needs to decrypt the data encrypted with zero-access encryption. So, the delay 1-2 seconds is expected. If more encryption keys are active on your account, it will take longer. This is unavoidable on an encrypted service. Depending on the browser, browser version, OS, OS version, and the device itself, the duration of this delay can vary further.
        _akhe 2y ago
        > the delay 1-2 seconds is expected This user disagrees. > Gmail is not encrypted Don't know where you heard that but Gmail uses client-side encryption too: https://support.google.com/mail/answer/13317990?hl=en https://support.google.com/mail/answer/13317990?hl=en They also use all the industry-standard encryption for requests. Proton may use different encryption techniques than Gmail, and because Proton doesn't run an ad business on my inbox like Google does, there are probably generally less crawlers in Proton messages than in Gmail, but wouldn't that make Proton faster? I'm surprised the several seconds long splash screen doesn't get reported often - it's glaringly the only thing wrong with the service.
- moe_sc 2y ago
  It really doesn't. Mobile App starts in under a second and i can't remember the WebApp ever taking long enough to load, for me to notice.
  - _akhe 2y ago
    Can't remember? Try it now - you saying you don't see a splash screen that lasts for long enough for your eye to notice? It's about 2-5 seconds for me. The experience is jarring overall - Gmail doesn't do that. I still use Proton, it's not a deal breaker, it's just a clunky and annoying software at times.
blackhaj7 2y ago
Thanks for the info. That loading screen feels like a friction that would get annoying!
- _akhe 2y ago
  Exactly I like it snappy! I want to navigate and before I can think of anything it's like page loaded. O_O Your move user. Or I hover and it's like tooltip! And I'm like dang that was fast, hm what if I... click- result! Dang that was so freakin fast how do they- Because if you aint snappy you crappy you feel me

by _akhe 2y ago

protonmail 2y ago

That doesn't sound right, have you reported the issue you're describing above to our support team at: https://proton.me/support/troubleshooting?product=mail https://proton.me/support/troubleshooting?product=mail?

_akhe 2y ago
Yes a while ago, and Proton support sounded exactly like your comment "Hm that's strange" - do you use your own product? If you navigate to the inbox - https://mail.proton.me/u/1/inbox https://mail.proton.me/u/1/inbox - there's a splash screen with the Proton logo in the center and the text "Loading Proton Mail..." for several seconds on every single page load. Try it out! Let me know.
- protonmail 2y ago
  This may depend on the browser too - have you tried different ones, and if yes, have you noticed any differences in the duration of this splash screen?
  - _akhe 2y ago
    The splash screen shows for seconds on every page load in both Firefox and Chrome, and yes with/without extensions, and yes I tried unplugging it and plugging it back in :P It's been hilarious trying convey this to you guys. You designed it that way, it's not a user issue at all. If it helps sometimes it will say "Loading Proton Account..." for a couple seconds then "Loading Proton Mail..." for a couple more seconds. I would say this is one reason not to use Proton - they treat you like this when you open a support ticket too, like it's impossible there's anything wrong and it's always user error. They're always confused as if nobody has ever reported it and you never arrive at a solution, you just get sick of talking with them after a while because they don't know their own product.
    - protonmail 2y ago
      We apologize, we didn't intend it to sound that way. When logging into our web app, it's expected to experience a short delay because, unlike with Gmail, the web browser also needs to decrypt the data encrypted with zero-access encryption. So, the delay 1-2 seconds is expected. If more encryption keys are active on your account, it will take longer. This is unavoidable on an encrypted service. Depending on the browser, browser version, OS, OS version, and the device itself, the duration of this delay can vary further.
      - _akhe 2y ago
        > the delay 1-2 seconds is expected This user disagrees. > Gmail is not encrypted Don't know where you heard that but Gmail uses client-side encryption too: https://support.google.com/mail/answer/13317990?hl=en https://support.google.com/mail/answer/13317990?hl=en They also use all the industry-standard encryption for requests. Proton may use different encryption techniques than Gmail, and because Proton doesn't run an ad business on my inbox like Google does, there are probably generally less crawlers in Proton messages than in Gmail, but wouldn't that make Proton faster? I'm surprised the several seconds long splash screen doesn't get reported often - it's glaringly the only thing wrong with the service.
moe_sc 2y ago
It really doesn't. Mobile App starts in under a second and i can't remember the WebApp ever taking long enough to load, for me to notice.
- _akhe 2y ago
  Can't remember? Try it now - you saying you don't see a splash screen that lasts for long enough for your eye to notice? It's about 2-5 seconds for me. The experience is jarring overall - Gmail doesn't do that. I still use Proton, it's not a deal breaker, it's just a clunky and annoying software at times.

blackhaj7 2y ago

Thanks for the info. That loading screen feels like a friction that would get annoying!

_akhe 2y ago
Exactly I like it snappy! I want to navigate and before I can think of anything it's like page loaded. O_O Your move user. Or I hover and it's like tooltip! And I'm like dang that was fast, hm what if I... click- result! Dang that was so freakin fast how do they- Because if you aint snappy you crappy you feel me